WEC 42, Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles to follow UFC 101 on Aug. 9

Although originally expected to take place in late August, a WEC 42 event featuring WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (36-1) and top contender Brian Bowles (7-0) will take place Aug. 9.

The news comes from Matt Erickson of The Times of Northwest Indiana, and a representative with the Nevada State Athletic Commission told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the date has been requested from WEC officials.

The event, which takes place the day after “UFC 101: Declaration” in Philadelphia, takes place at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The night’s main card airs on Versus.

Torres vs. Bowles was originally slated to take place at WEC 40, which was held near Torres’ homes in Chicago. However, Bowles was forced off the card with a back injury.

However, he now gets his shot at the title after seven consecutive wins, including four (all via stoppage) in the WEC. He most recently competed at WEC 37 in January 2008, when he defeated Wil Ribeiro via third-round submission.

Torres, meanwhile, most recently defeated Bowles’ replacement, Takeya Mizugaki, via unanimous decision in April. It was his 17th consecutive victory, which includes five straight wins in the WEC.

WEC 42 will help break in a new arena. The Joint recently underwent a transformation and opened as a larger venue. Once constricted to no more than 1,500 spectators, the concert and event venue can now accommodate up to 4,000 fans.

For the latest on WEC 42, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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